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NAW2020: 'Apprentices bring new energy and passion into businesses'

NAW2020: 'Apprentices bring new energy and passion into businesses'

Alan Galloway (pictured), Workforce Development Officer at London Borough of Hillingdon, talks about its approach to apprenticeships and why they work for both the organisation and the staff undertaking the earn-as-you-learn alternative.

Bucks New University works with the council on Social Work and Digital Technology degree apprenticeships.

Apart from using the levy, what other benefits or objectives made Hillingdon consider employing and training apprentices?

Apprentices bring new energy and passion into businesses. Apprenticeships are a great path for people at any stage of their career from those starting out, to those re-entering the workforce, or those wanting to upskill or change career direction completely.

How many of your employees are apprentices?

We currently have 165 apprentices on various programmes. 55 are new apprentices and 110 are existing staff who are up-skilling. Therefore we have 6% of our employees currently following an apprenticeship programme.

How have you seen things change in your organisation since introducing apprentices to your workforce?

Apart from retention and career development, we have also seen an improvement in our age profile and an increase in the number of staff that both work and live in the borough.

 

Apprenticeships are a great path for people at any stage of their career from those starting out, to those re-entering the workforce, or those wanting to up-skill or change career direction completely

 

In what ways have apprenticeships opened up opportunities for individuals personally, who you are putting through the training?

Apprentices get a win-win – real work, in a real company, training to get the skills that we really want. With a guaranteed salary. We also get to see a fresh injection of talent. Keen, inquisitive and bursting with new ideas.

There are an ever increasing number of new apprenticeships on offer which are appropriate for the Council as an employer. For example, the new Social Worker apprenticeship, whereby we were one of the first Boroughs to have 11 members of staff join the very first intake in October 2019 with Bucks New University. We also have staff that have joined Level 7, Masters programmes, in Chartered Town Planning, Level 6 Degree in Architecture and Building Control Surveyor. Whilst at Level 5 we have HR / Consultants.

In addition we have apprentices in the following - Horticulture, Paralegal, Accountant, Social Worker, Town Planning, Warehouse, Carpenter, Library,  Internal Audit, Housing, HR, Social Care, Project Management – if you can think of it, there’s probably an apprenticeship available in Hillingdon.

Have apprenticeships helped retain staff? And if so why do you think that is?

We have definitely gained staff as we have recruited 83 new apprentices and up-skilled 145 members of staff. We have retained a high number of these and others have then also gone on to a higher level programme. I think if we show that we are willing to invest time in our new and existing staff they will stay and can see a clearer career pathway with development opportunities at all levels.

London Borough of Hillingdon is holding a celebration event for all its apprentices today as part of NAW2020 which will be hosted by the Chief Executive and Cabinet Lead.